Rayray's Bow(Double Strafe) Stalker Guide

[Rayray]

Since I got some time, I decided to make a guide for one of my favorite classes. So let's get to it.

Overview

Stalker is a fun class to play, with our customs, it has to be one of the strongest classes out there. Strongest not in the sense of damage though(as they have decent damage, but not as high as Sniper), but strongest in terms of versatility. The class got innate escape skills, excellent passive skill, tons of builds to make into and the ability to copy a skill is big.

Why Double Strafe Bow Stalker?

My reasoning is simple: So that Dispell does not make me useless. Most Stalkers go and copy triple blow and just auto attack like hell. This works well with Ship captain hat, however, once someone uses Dispell, this kind of stalkers get their damage cut by around half, which isn't good, and you cannot always have link to protect your preserved skill. I use double strafe since it was innate for the stalker class, and I just copy a skill that is either for defense, or to compliment my double strafe. I even went to for_fild at times without using preserve, I was able to copy matyr when getting ganged, DSed using immaterial to know if they are not using GR, and if they are not, I hit with matyr. Use your imagination, although since I mained biochemist, my stalker strategy resembles what I do on biochemist.

Gear

I expect people to have 2x Stalker SB when playing Bow stalker and probably an extra fhelm OR aura for switching purposes. More on that later.

Headgear: 2x Fhelm or any 2slotted headgear. Put 1x kiel and maya P on the first one, 1x kiel and fsoldier on the other. Also if you have Ship captain, you can use it too, put kiel card in it.

Mid: Any aura you have. I prefer using Skull Aura for Stalker though. Kiel card of course

Lower: Cape/Ring, scarf, eidelic wing, avian wing. Anything with a slot, put kiel in it. Since I do not have cape or ring, I use my Eidelic Wing and it does wonders.

Weapon: 2x Stalker Sb. one with 3x TG and valk randgris, one with Thana, 2x TG,1x Valk Randgris. Reasoning can be read on my Gunslinger guide but I will repeat it here. This is to eliminate the use of skeleton worker card for the reason that it only works against medium sized monsters(normal players). If you are up against something else, damage will be reduced and I do not like to take that risk. Plus Valk randgris is awesome

Shield: have a few. usakoring, gtb, maya.

Armor: have a LOT of fking armors. Gr Tao, Rsx Tao, Puppetring Tao, Garm Tao, Evil Druid Tao, Angeling Tao, Tao Tao and if needed, dual OL.

Cloak: You should at least have a 2x skoll and 2x Raydric cloak. Now having a 2x pouring cloak for the boost in DS damage is your choice. I use it, or if I am using skull aura, ill probably use 1x skoll 1x pouring and 1x raydric 1x pouring cloaks and have a 2x noxious one the third cloak.

Boots: 2x FBH for damage obviously.

Acc: personally, I do not have freyr. Although I do not see an immediate need for it, there are things you can invest on more than having a slot on a Dex Acc that you barely put things on. If you do have freyr, put horong card on one, then either the owl baron card or any other stuff you want in it. Seriously, you do not really need a slot on the Acc, it is more of a luxury. Blue ifrit ring is for long fights. I mostly use it against snipers

Stats

Str: around 50-100, you can put more if you want. I usually have 100+(divisible by 10)

Agi: just get 195 aspd, this is barely needed if you go super high dex(make sure you have 195 aspd when using blue ifrit ring and one dex belt)

Vit: normally people say whatever is left, I opt to always get around 240k HP at the very least.

Int: none, unless you got nowhere to put stuff in OR you can get 30-40 if you get Cursed Ring(more on this later on), or whatever is left after adding vit.

Dex: 260-280 base, as always I don't go super high dex because damage isn't everything.

Luk: none unless you are a FAS bow stalker, by which case you should just make a sniper.

Skills

Your main attacking skill is Double Strafe. The reason why I use it is because that leaves you to copy a utility skill that as a stalker, you do not have. Here is a list of commonly copied skills for Stalker. Although I only recommend the top 5 as I use them.

1. Flip Tatami- A skill so broken it should be nerfed. But since no one is doing it yet, abuse using it. This makes literally any long range physical attacker so pissed off at you. The push back when casting it works great too(if you dont like using the hide>sightless mind to get people out of cloak)

2. Charge Attack- get the out of pneuma+pushback with perfect range for your DS. Awesome stuff

3. Flying Side Kick- I never liked this but it does get you close enough to strip. Only use this when you know you can strip.

4. Triple Blow/Raging Trifecta- only if you decide on breaking for WoE. But it does good damage to pvp too, combined with the ship captain hat.

5. Shield Chain- Well this was for fun at first, then I realized how good it is. Use DS with immaterial arrows, when damage get low, use shield chain.

6. Bowling Bash- Works great, but you got Double Strafe for the damage, although this is useful on small maps or WoE.

7. Mammonite- Not that good really, much better to just DS from a distance.

8. Storm Gust- Utility spell to get groups of gangers off you. You don't copy this for the damage, you copy it for the pushback and hopefully, the freeze.

9. Acid Bomb- seriously, you only copy this if you had INT build stalker with HOD, but by then, you are better of with Sacrifice.

10. Sacrifice- good damage IF YOU CAN STRIP OR FORCE A NON-GR armor. With a thana bow and immaterial arrows, pretty easy to do.

11. FAS- Seriously, just make a sniper and be done with it

Strategy and Tips

Use the class and do not quit on it. Your damage is not super high unless you strip or hit with the thana bow on a non skoll user. You make up with your skills, ability to get out of harm's way and fighting from a distance. You are a long range class, stop going near if you know they have FCP.

I go on this class thinking everyone had FCP. So I got to the point where I can fight without stripping, but I keep track of how long I am fighting them. That way, I have an approximate time on when I can strip. And if you strip them, you win(unless it was a pally).

I advice on getting Cursed Ring for the heavens drive even though you are not an INT stalker. My reason was, the stats on both the blessed and cursed are not that far. Sure, you get +15% on the blessed ring, if you want it, then do so, I use eidelic wing and with no additional damage increase stat on it, I deal decent damage enough. Cursed ring gives heavens drive, a skill you can use to show up people. And with a copied skill like Flip Tatami, you get 2 skills for support and defense, a great skill on offense(double strafe) and awesome escape skills(backslide, stalk, hide). What more can you want? Although you might need to put a little INT stat to hit people with heavens drive.

Ninjas are so funny against you if you had flip tatami copied. So is Sniper

I don't advice reducts gear(laughing poopoo and stuff). One, it is a boring build. Two, I am pretty sure it is broken and not intended for anyone to get that high reducts and will probably be fixed in the succeeding updates. Third, they are pretty easy to counter, especially on this build. Just go Garm armor, freeze them, strip or just hit the hell out. They don't deal good damage as well. You can also try and stone them, they only have a maximum of 2 card slots if they go reducts.

Rule of the thumb: when fighting people using ship captain, default puppetring armor.

Always FCP yourself when fighting seriously.

Having a blue ifrit ring does wonders when you know the fight is gonna drag on(LK fights)

Have several arrows. Pretty basic

What I personally use

Well people already know I am the stalker named Disaresta. At the moment, I am using Shield Chain as a copied skill. Reasoning was simple, I am lazy. With shield chain copied, I can spam DS and default immaterial arrows, when the damage gets low, I use Shield chain. Also tested matyr and it was awesome as well, but you need to switch out to your non-thana bow(i recommended 3 TGs and 1 VR) so that matyr can deal full damage. In all honesty, Matyr would be better in most 1 vs 1 situations.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Rayray

[Prince_Jester]

+1 Love the guides ^^

Edited August 20, 2013 by Prince_Jester

[ChainBreak]

Small typo in the EQ section:

Auras go to the Middle Headgear slot. :3

[Rayray]

Thanks :). Fixed now.

[iCake]

I should've read this before i quit stalker..

[Rayray]

Updated this stalker guide. :) I am maining stalker at the moment, so please bear with me. I will be able to create a guide much like my biochem guide once I tested out everything in my head. :p

[markadik21]

what is good skill to use if your thana user using DS... and what other skill are good now day?

[Rayray]

Matyr and Shield Chain would be the best. Or any skill that does huge damage but stays neutral

[markadik21]

Nc boss ray.. its good.. already try.. I think I stick to this class..

[Aerofox]

Thanks again Rayray :D You really persuaded me to play this class (like on your SN guide).
Also I'm really gonna stay in this class REALLY long, I love this class because I just found out the power of DS.
also I love stripping people's clothes- er armor off.

[sartorius19]

Hmmm what is more benefitable for an int stalk to copy? Acid bomb or shield chain? i am planning on getting a bow and just ds when they gtb. but it would take much time and i dont use bm so switching would be as hell as hard and i need to switch arrows as well so yeah >.<

shield chain's damage comes from what stat or base?

[Rayray]

Shield chain is from STR.

For int build, I assume you have HOD for the bolts. The best for me would Matyr's Reckoning. Because it follows that you have decent hp anyway. just use it when they go GTB. Do not bother stripping much on int build, your dex is not that high.

[sartorius19]

Yeah i will use AOG,Hod still buying tho, thats why i havent actually played it, but since i main prof i got all other stuffs and the set itself.

so ill use martyr using the dagger? even when on int build? shall i use converter before doing martyr?

[Rayray]

Matyr is always neutral. Well I can hit way above 30k+ per hit of matyr against gtb users( i cannot really remember how much sorry). but well i switch to a bow then with 2xtg+2xskelworker. If you do not have a bow, stick to acid bomb which works well but then again if you are gonna play like that, it is cheaper to just gear a biochemist.

[sartorius19]

hmmm so before i martyr i will switch to bow?

my main idea was if enemy gtb. i go bow and ds.

[Aerofox]

hmmm so before i martyr i will switch to bow?

my main idea was if enemy gtb. i go bow and ds.

Generally, I just FS> BS > then AA them with plaigarized Raging Trifecta + Double Attack so that they can't move an inch.

That's my strats for bow type. Also, Martyr deals one heck of a damage when your enemy's stripped, so go for Martyr first.

[Rayray]

hmmm so before i martyr i will switch to bow?

my main idea was if enemy gtb. i go bow and ds.

Well, i did use it with the stalker sword before, so it doesn't matter if you bow or not, they will be thinking that you will strip anyway so it could cause mind games. But then my stalker sword has 2tg 2 skelworker because I only had one before.

DSing with not so high dex might not yield good damage compared to the insta kill of matyr if they went gtb. try matyr first on someone using gtb to gauge your damage.

Generally, I just FS> BS > then AA them with plaigarized Raging Trifecta + Double Attack so that they can't move an inch.

That's my strats for bow type. Also, Martyr deals one heck of a damage when your enemy's stripped, so go for Martyr first.

He is asking for the int type though. That strategy of yours also will not work if enemy dispelled or had fcp. If they wear ring of resonance you might get tarot faster due to all the things you are doing at once.

[sartorius19]

Well, i did use it with the stalker sword before, so it doesn't matter if you bow or not, they will be thinking that you will strip anyway so it could cause mind games. But then my stalker sword has 2tg 2 skelworker because I only had one before.

DSing with not so high dex might not yield good damage compared to the insta kill of matyr if they went gtb. try matyr first on someone using gtb to gauge your damage.

hmm why not 3tg+inca? or 3tg 1skel? what im worrying about martyr is that it renders your hp 3/4 or sometimes 2/4 when u use martyr as i have tried in bow. so this should be a 1 hit kill when they gtb if not and they spammed back. it could also be lethal for me. Martyr gets it damage on own HP right?

Generally, I just FS> BS > then AA them with plaigarized Raging Trifecta + Double Attack so that they can't move an inch.

That's my strats for bow type. Also, Martyr deals one heck of a damage when your enemy's stripped, so go for Martyr first.

its for bow. and i dont really use auto attack. im a ds type before. as ray said im asking on int stalk.

[Rayray]

hmm why not 3tg+inca? or 3tg 1skel? what im worrying about martyr is that it renders your hp 3/4 or sometimes 2/4 when u use martyr as i have tried in bow. so this should be a 1 hit kill when they gtb if not and they spammed back. it could also be lethal for me. Martyr gets it damage on own HP right?

Because matyr already ignores defense. It does render your hp a bit low so what I do is usually this

*this is going in assuming enemy is on FCP.

before the fight, i cast matyr already(it sticks with you as long as you do not auto attack)>spam bolts on target>target goes gtb>go near and auto attack>seed+backslide>repeat.

Also, you can still DS as you will have some kind of dex.

Assuming you will be stripping people with 150 total dex.

You will always have that base 15% chance to strip, no matter how low your dex is, but of course we want higher than that, so we take the formula for it.

Success Rate = 5 + 2 * Skill Level + (Your DEX - Enemy DEX) / 5

Success Rate = 15%(this is the base chance of lvl 5 full strip) + (200 dex - 150 dex) / 5

Success Rate = 15+ 10(50 dex differential divided by 5)

Success Rate = 25% chance to strip a 150 total dex character, that is 1/4 chance.

You can increase your dex to increase your chance, but seeing as you are going INT, that will not be a good idea unless you are willing to sacrifice HP for it.

[sartorius19]

hmm i see, thanks for the infos. but i guesss 3 tg+1skel can yield more damage? not sure on the card stacking effects.

[Rayray]

I believe 3 cards would have worse diminishing returns and I don't really want a higher chance to magnum break.

[sartorius19]

it gives more damage as ive tested. and i read on martyr's descript/ 3bloodyboned would be best combo. but since we got fbh already. i use 3tg and skel.

btw martyr's good only when people not on gr. i can only reach 13k x5 having 300khp ship captain and 2 tgk on. with the said combo cards as well. its not good enough. since it will render my hp half. so i think going ds is better atm. still experimenting. but so far that is what my findings are.

[Rayray]

Ah well, matyr works better on bow build then. DS on immaterial + thana, they switch to skolls + non gr, you matyr, they die.

[sartorius19]

i think its better to be a ds type LOL. cause as i have tried it to be efficient int stalk. i need to be a semi bio or semi prof.

as for ds to counter gtb, it would hard to change like 4 equips just to get decent damage.

[Aerofox]

i think its better to be a ds type LOL. cause as i have tried it to be efficient int stalk. i need to be a semi bio or semi prof.

as for ds to counter gtb, it would hard to change like 4 equips just to get decent damage.

In the whole server, I only saw a single magic stalker, and he was Twilight Chaser. not sure if he's even continuing that path

(And that makes me think about Stave Crasher type Stalker. lol)

And yes, DS type is awesome and is better, but it doesn't exactly fit my playstyle since I've suffered enough finger breaking during my time as a Ninja.

Edited September 21, 2014 by Aerofox